Ferrari 512 BB

car description

The Ferrari 512 BB (also known as the ‘BB512’) was launched in 1976 as more of an update to the Berlinetta Boxer, rather than a new model. Its name didn’t follow Ferrari convention, instead borrowing the format used for the Dino and GT4 at the time, referring to ‘5 litre, 12 cylinder’, rather than the individual cylinder capacity. The torquier 5.0-litre Ferrari flat-12 made the ‘new’ Boxer more responsive and flexible. A revised gearbox was a significant improvement over the 365 BB, and many of the latter were subsequently upgraded in period to use this transmission. Ferrari also reduced the pressure in the shift mechanism itself, making gear changes in the 512 BB slicker than in its predecessor. On the outside, the exterior styling changes were minimal but noticeable. Wider rear arches accommodated the fatter nine-inch tyres, there was a more pronounced kink in the join between cabin and rear clip, and the Ferrari’s nose was revised with a shallow spoiler to reduce lift at very high speeds. Another telling feature of the 512 BB is the pair of NACA ducts in the lower panels ahead of the rear wheels - these were added to funnel air to the brakes. At the rear, the three tail lights o